The Playlist
by Larien Mithrandir
Summary: Just some ficlets exploring Toki's day-to-day life experiences. Better explanation inside. Hints of Skwis/To slash, nothing serious. Rated T for slash and language. Reviews are appreciated.


**A/N:** I read a great fiction last night by Xaviariam and decided I wanted to try the process. The rules are: 1. Pick a character, pairing, or fandom you like. 2. Put iTunes or equivalent media player on random. 3. For each song that plays, write something related to the theme you picked inspired by the song. You have only the time frame of the song: no planning beforehand: you start when it starts, and no lingering afterward; once the song is over, you stop writing. (No fair skipping songs either; you have to take what comes by chance!) 4. Do 5 of these (at least), then post. I've chosen to use Toki Wartooth, from Metalocalypse. Yes, I've been obsessed with this fandom lately…I've got a Naruto fiction in the works right now, so don't worry.

~Larien~

"_Woman" by Wolfmother_

Toki saw her standing there on the corner, long blonde hair streaked with black falling in her face. She wore a black tank top, dark blue jeans, and black Converse Chuck Taylors. He walked closer, ignoring the drunken ramblings of Pickles. As soon as he'd seen this goddess, all else had faded away. She looked up for an instant and he caught a glimpse of her ice-blue eyes. He knew in that instant that he'd caught a glimpse of Freyja.

"Toki, dood, come on! The bar closes in half an hour!" Pickles called loudly, pulling the young Norwegian along. He stared longingly over his shoulder at his beautiful Freyja until he and the redheaded drummer turned the corner and he could no longer see her.

"_Never Gonna Stop" by Rob Zombie_

"No, no, no, yous dildoes!" Skwisgaar yelled for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Toki was in the recording studio, doing his best to get his part of this track recorded. The Swede, however, was being counterproductive, as usual. "Toki, yous just needs to stop. Maybe guitars ams nots for yous," he said, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I'ms not stoppings," Toki replied. "I's likes playing. I's gonna run it again." The Swede reluctantly hit the record button again and the Norwegian played his heart out, finally managing to play at a speed that caused Skwisgaar to sweat. "I's t'inks I'ms gettings good, ja?" Toki smiled at him when he'd finished.

"_Into the Ocean" by Blue October_

Toki lay in his bed, his mind drifting back to that fateful day. His father's dying wish echoed in his mind. He could see the wrinkled face of the Reverend Wartooth sinking below the ice, the gnarled hands clawing at the underside of the ice. A tear rolled down from his pale blue eyes. _He wished he could be with his father. _

A loud knock on his bedroom door brought him back to reality. Skwisgaar barged in before Toki could even get up from his bed. The blonde took a seat on the edge of the chestnut-haired boy's bed.

"Toki, why yous beings a cries-babies?" Skwisgaar asked mockingly. "I's hears you through de door, yous know." Toki hadn't even been aware that he'd made a noise. "Why yous wants to goes wit' dats man? He ams was hurtingks yous all yous life. He ams dead. Throws a parties, little cries-babies."

Toki looked up at his Scandinavian friend and smiled. "He ams was my fadder."

"_Dive" by BeForU_

The lights flashed and the music started. He watched the arrows scroll up the screen. As they reached the step zone, Toki hit them perfectly. He threw his body into the game, hitting arrows with not only his feet but his hands and knees as well. He liked this game. He could lose himself in it. What's more, he could practice rhythm with it. His band mates couldn't complain about that. To beat the game, you had to have perfect timing and you had to step in beat with the rhythm. He fancied that Pickles would be really good at this game.

At that moment, Pickles walked into the common room. "Pickle, come dances wit' me!" Toki called from the machine. Pickles looked over at him, but the redhead was too drunk to actually comprehend what the Norwegian had just said.

"_Bad Boy" by Cascada_

Toki watched Skwisgaar playing in the studio. The Swede's fingers expertly flew over the strings at what Toki thought was an inhuman speed. He wondered what else those fingers could do. He often wondered about Skwisgaar. Sometimes he fancied that the blonde man was secretly sending him silent invitations to invade the white tundra of his bed. An arm draped over his shoulder, a slight swing in his hips as he walked in front of the younger man. Simple gestures, really.

Skwisgaar finished the track and put the Gibson Explorer on its stand. As he walked by Toki, the chestnut-haired man thought he caught a sly wink and a twitch of the blonde's head. A few seconds after the World's Fastest Guitarist had left the room, the World's Second Fastest Guitarist followed him out, mumbling something about wanting to make macaroni art.

"_No World For Tomorrow" by Coheed and Cambria_

The two Scandinavians lay in the snow, the man in the metal mask standing over them with a gun. Toki thought for sure this would be the end. "I's wills sees yous in Valhalska, Toki," Skwisgaar said, a note of sadness in his voice.

Toki wanted so badly to pour his heart out to his Swedish counterpart right then and there. It would be appropriate, as they were surely about to die. "Skwisgaar, I always…hated you," Toki choked out, unable to say what he really felt.

"I knows, Toki. I knows," the Swede replied. Suddenly, Charles Ofdensen, their manager, fired a shot. The man in the metal mask turned to face the business man.

"That's my bread and butter you're fucking with," the manager gritted through his teeth. The two battled briefly and in the end, Charles won. The man in the metal mask was killed and tossed into the nearby water. The Scandinavians stared at their manager in disbelief. "Let's go find the others, shall we?" Charles said, robotic as ever.

"_My Hero" by the Foo Fighters_

Toki hated the constant insults. He hated coming up short. He was determined that he would beat Skwisgaar some day. The Norwegian sat in his room, picking out a melody on his Flying-V. He didn't understand why Skwisgaar always practiced. The blonde was already the best guitar player in the world. He shouldn't have to practice.

At that moment, the Swede in question sauntered into the rhythm guitarist's room. He stood, unnoticed, watching the chestnut-haired man practice. He listened to the notes, letting the mournful strains wash over him. A single tear rolled down his cheek as memories of a snow-covered wasteland filled his head.

This was their bond.

"_Devil's Dance Floor" by Flogging Molly_

Toki opened his eyes to find himself wrapped in white fur. It was soft against his bare skin. His head was throbbing and Deddy Bear was nowhere to be seen. _What time was it?_

The Norwegian sat up and threw the cover back. He noted that at least he still wore his boxers. He looked over to his other side. A mane of blonde hair spilled forth on the white pillow. _Who is that?_

In a moment of blinding truth, the blonde head turned to reveal Skwisgaar's sleeping features. Last night's events came rushing back to meet Toki's groggy mind. He could remember warm golden liquid in small crystal glasses. He could hear upbeat Swedish techno songs. He could remember Skwisgaar and himself dancing along to the song, not caring what their band mates thought.

As he quietly slipped out of the Swede's room, Toki prayed to whatever god or goddess happened to be listening that nights such as the previous one would not be rare occurrences.

"_Song To Say Goodbye" by Placebo_

Toki was tired of the insults. He was tired of the constant assault on his already-battered psyche. He was leaving. As the rest of Mordhaus's occupants went about their usual nightly routines, the young man packed a small backpack with an extra set of clothes, his toothbrush and hairbrush, and some money. He grabbed Deddy Bear and his Flying-V and headed out his door.

Skwisgaar saw the rhythm guitarist slip out of his room. He followed him silently for a few moments, until he was sure that no one would be around.

"Toki, don'ts goes," the Swede called. Toki stopped, turned around, and pointedly asked, "What's does yous care?" The lead guitarist pinned his small counterpart against the wall and planted a kiss right on his lips. "I's cares, Toki. Believes me."

"_Always and Never" by Coheed and Cambria_

It was 12:46 am on Saturday night. Well, technically it would be Sunday morning, but Toki didn't care. He was on his knees in Pickles' bathroom, his face over the toilet and his stomach throwing a riot. The redheaded drummer had decided to show his chestnut-haired rhythm guitarist how to have a good time. Toki didn't particularly like Pickles' idea of a good time anymore, though he'd been excited at first.

Toki looked up and noticed that Pickles was leaving the room. "Pickle, where ams yous going?" the Norwegian called after the Yooper. Pickles didn't reply. He was too drunk and high to care. "Pickle, stays wit' me! I's don't wanna stay alone."

"Dood, I'm hittin' the hay," Pickles called. Toki didn't like this idea. Pickles was going to leave him in the bathroom alone?

"Stay wit' me, Pickle! Stay wit' me and wes can falls asleeps."

"_Blue Monday" by Orgy_

Skwisgaar stood in the studio, fingers flying over the frets of his Gibson Explorer. Toki sat on the couch, watching him and praying he'd make a mistake. The rest of the band was elsewhere, leaving the Scandinavians alone together, as they always did. The Swede was fully engulfed in his music.

Suddenly, Toki noticed the blonde man's long fingers slip on the strings. Blood began to trickle from the middle finger. Toki smirked and turned the talk-back mic on.

"How's dats feels, huh, Mister I's-So-Fast-I's-Da-Best?" the Norwegian taunted. Skwisgaar glared back at the rhythm guitarist, shooting him icy daggers. Toki went on smirking, happy that for once, the Guitar God had slipped up.

"_Simple Survival" by Mushroomhead_

A twelve-year-old Toki stood in the snow, wearing only a thin gray t-shirt, worn brown shorts, and old boots. He stood facing the woods beside his house. His father and mother stood behind him, the Reverend Wartooth pointing a slender finger towards the woods. Little Toki looked back at his parents, a scowl stealing onto his face. He would defy his parents. He would go into the woods and leave. He would survive. He'd had enough. He wasn't going to come back to this house again.

As he walked into the woods towards his new future, Toki did not see the tears that fell from Anja's eyes. They were tears of relief. Her son was escaping the hell-hole created by her husband.


End file.
